Trump had sued Disney-owned ABC for defamation because anchor George Stephanopoulos said on air that Trump had been found liable for rape in the E. Jean Carroll case, but the jury had found that Trump was liable only for sexual abuse, not rape. ABC had a strong case on the merits, since the presiding judge said Trump’s actions, while technically not “rape” under New York state law, met the common understanding of “rape.” Additionally, U.S. law sets an especially high bar for defamation regarding media coverage of public figures. But despite the attorneys and deep pockets to fight the lawsuit, ABC/Disney folded, even agreeing to pay an additional $1 million toward Trump’s legal fees.